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Manny Pacquiao launched the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League on August 29, 2017.[2] According to Pacquiao, the league is not intended to be a competitor to the Philippine Basketball Association, the country's top professional basketball league. The MPBL will feature both a regional commercial and barangay-level league with teams on the commercial side to have a home locality in addition to a corporate sponsor.[3]

The league was planned to start as early as September 23, 2017 with at least six teams.[4] A pre-season was held with the Bulacan Kuyas finishing as champions.[5]

The inaugural cup of the MPBL, the Anta Rajah Cup commenced on January 25, 2018 and was participated in by ten teams.[6] In the opening game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the Parañaque Patriots secured a 70-60 victory over the Caloocan Supremos.[7] The first conference was ran until April 19, 2018 where the Batangas City Athletics crowned as the league's first-ever champion.

After the Anta Rajah Cup, the MPBL will plan to conduct the staging of the second conference, which will be patterned after the National Basketball Association (NBA). The tournament will begin on June 12, 2018, coinciding with the Philippine Independence Day celebration, with additional expansion teams including from the Visayas and Mindanao region will set to join the year-long conference divided into Northern and Southern Conferences.[8] The two winning teams from the divisions will face off in the National Championships and the winner will bring home a 10-million pesos worth trophy and ball rings to be given for the members of the champion squad.[9]

After its inaugural cup, the 2018 Anta Rajah Cup, the MPBL had expanded its roster of teams to 26. All teams are expected to play in the next cup. After the ten expansion teams were admitted into the league, it closed its doors for new applicants from Luzon. This was done to leave room for future Visayas and Mindanao teams. A meeting in Cebu was held on April 28 for potential Visayas and Mindanao teams.[10]Davao Occidental Tigers became the first MPBL team from the Visayas-Mindanao region.

The MPBL originated with 10 charter teams on its inaugural season. After its first successful season, it attracted a lot of teams across the Philippines to join. There are 23 teams from Luzon, 3 teams from Visayas and 5 teams from Mindanao.

ABS-CBN Sports and ABS-CBN Regional Network Group is the official broadcaster of the league and airs games of the MPBL through S+A Channel 23 and S+A HD Channel 166 also on Liga Channel 86 and Liga HD Channel 183. Selected national finals games will be aired through ABS-CBN. The broadcasting deal was announced on January 11, 2018.[28] The games will also be aired internationally via The Filipino Channel, also the games were been aired on Fox Sports Asia during Monday games and finals games with providing the English language.

The games are also available via livestreaming through the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Facebook page, ABS-CBN Sports Website and iWant.